The pictures relate to the walk on the 11th Nov but equally serve to illustrate the Ramblers day out on the 2nd April 2000 and again on the 10th Jan 2001 for the slightly longer walk of 10 miles starting from the National Trust Car Park at Frogmore, a mile or so along the coast from Lansallos. My daughter Sara and her friend Steve were visiting from the USA and had asked for a coastal walk, it seemed like a good idea to tackle this walk and combine it with a ramblers recce. They arrived on the 11th Nov 99 and we ventured forth on the 12th. The day dawned fresh and sunny and we were down at the car park at Lansallos by just gone 10 AM.

The map above also outlines the routes taken by the Plymouth Ramblers group when 22 walkers ventured out on Sunday 2nd April 2000 and on Wed 10th Jan 01, starting from the National Trust Car Park at 10.30AM. The loop in purple shows the extra section from Frogmore. I led the walk in conditions rather different to the pleasant conditions of the 11th Nov. The forecast for 2nd April was heavy rain and strong wind. In the event it was overcast with light rain in the afternoon and only moderate winds.

The red dotted line shows the route taken with the blue dotted line giving the optional shorter end to the walk favoured by 5 of the group.

We were soon striding out down past the church and down the well signposted tree lined route down to the coast at Lansallos bay. The coastal path is clearly marked here and is difficult to miss when approached from Lansallos.

For the start from Frogmore, the route is equally easy, simply follow the track down to the coast path, turn left and before long Lansallos beach is seen.

We passed through a gate and made our way around the first headland overlooking Lansallos Bay. A short climb followed and we were soon dropping down to a grassy area close to the sea where we could look out to a buoy marking the position of a reef just offshore.

On the April walk, with a south westerly breeze, the bell on the buoy could be clearly heard tolling out its warning ring. Since it was low tide, the reef could just be seen above the waves.

We crossed over a small bridge over a stream and saw the first of the hard climbs ahead of us at the start of the Raphael cliff section of the walk. We made our way up the well cut steps up past the a large white daymark which I understand can be used to identify the location of the offshore reef.

More than 100 large steps later and we were panting away at the top of this first hard climb.

As we made our way along, we could see a local landmark of a natural arch at the bottom of the cliff, too far away for a clear photograph, without a zoom lens the effect was rather lost, nevertheless I took a shot just in case.

If we go up then we go down again. I counted over 150 steps winding down the equally steep cliffs on the other side which we gingerly made our way down. This section of the coastal path is graded as severe in many of the guide books and we could certainly see why.

Another 100 or so big steps to climb up, we managed it but talking stopped as we neared the top. After another quite steep descent, we had managed the Raphael cliff section and we approached the next uphill cliff section, that of Chapel cliff, managed by the National Trust, as is Raphael cliff. This uphill section at the start of Chapel Cliff was not as hard as the preceeding two stepped ascents. We could see why some people avoid this section of the coast path as being too hard for comfortable walking. In one book we have, this section is described as being the most strenuous of the Southern half of the Cornish Coastal path.

The remainder of the path around Chapel cliff was easy enough and almost level by comparison.

Although I knew that Polperro wasn't far away, there was obvious sign of an inlet from our vantage point.

Following the path around we had the choice of paths to take as there are three paths leading from this point into Polperro, still not visible yet incidentally.

Based on previous knowledge, we took the lower path since I knew that would prove the least strenuous.

We passed by a white shelter carved into the cliff and could now see signs that we were approaching civilisation. During the whole of this coastal walk section we had only met two other people on each of the two walks until we were close to Polperro itself.

There were seats and as we rounded the corner, suddenly the picturesque village of Polperro was in view we walked out to the point at the end and had great views of the village and of the harbour.

It was low tide on the walks and the boats were sitting on the mud inside the harbour wall.

We made our way down the path passing shops and a pub or two en route.

We spent at least an hour here enjoying superb home made pasties from one of the two bakers shops before finding our way into a lovely pub with a good warm open fire.

With the ramblers the stop was reduced to 40 mins but some of us still managed to gain a pub lunch.

With the Wednesday group the stop was further reduced to 30 minutes, but still time for the pasty.

Some of us found the 'town' square and enjoyed the pasties inthe Square the seagulls patiently waiting for a portion, no chance!!

For the ramblers walked we gathered by the turning by the first crossing point nearest the sea.

The picture shows the Wednesday group on the 10th Jan 01, waiting for the off for the uphill fling out of Polperro.  

The intention was not to simply retrace our steps, but to follow an inland route.

We made our way up to the local church by turning left just past a pub called the Noughts and Crosses pub slightly further along a road we had walked down on our way into the village. Just beyond the pub there is an alley to the left with a signpost to the church. We followed the path up towards the church and climbed up the steeply stepped path to the left of the church to look down on the village.

Anybody following this route should be advised to turn right at the junction just above the church. The turning to the left takes you back to one of the coast paths and not inland. Not to be recommended unless you want a linear there and back route.

Above the church turn right and up more steps and follow the path inland through a wood until you meet the narrow country road going steeply uphill out of Polperro towards Landividdy Manor. Although steep and hard going, it was much less strenuous than the coastal path.

We made our way to the top of the hill past the manor and followed the road as it headed west along past Raphael Farm on the right.

A few more hundred yards and there is a turning off to Great Lidden Farm shown on older maps as the footpath. Do not take this path, it was diverted about 300 metres further along the road in the early 90s.

Continue along the road until a footpath sign to the left is visible by a large gate and a stile The route illustrated at the start shows the proper route following the correct footpath to the old barn and thence down to the coastal path. The footpath starts from the road at the point where the optional return route shown in blue starts from the red route.

The optional ending maintains the high ground by continuing along the road to Lansallos, whereas the favoured walk leaves the road and returns via the coastal path.

This old barn was once the holiday home of Marie Stopes, the doctor who pioneered birth control science many years ago now. As we reached the barn we could clearly see the footpath leading south down across the very steep fields to the coastal path below.

For the ramblers, this was a good spot for afternoon tea.

After the stop, we made our way carefully past the cattle and down to the coastal route once more. It really was a very steep descent across the fields too, but at least it was downhill.

At the bottom the descent is even steeper, but once on the coastal path again over the stile, turn right and the path is much less steep, although still undulating.

Back around the Lansallos headland again and finally we left the coast path and walked up the leafy path up through the valley to the hamlet of Lansallos by the Lansallos 14th Century church. This last uphill section was the final uphill section of the day for the Lansallos CP start point. It warmed us up for the drive back to Plymouth

On the walks we took the opportunity to visit the church to look at the interior architecture and adornments. It is normally left unlocked and there are many very old pieces inside the church.

For the walk returning to Frogmore, there is a footpath pointing west just beyond the church which led the group in January 01 back across two fields, down a steep little valley, up across an incredibly muddy field and a steep set of steps over a hedge back onto the road.

Having emerged on the road we continued a further 300 metres along the road until we came to the turning right to the Frogmore NT car park, a large CP with it's own toilet block.

For all the three walks, the weather was very kind to us and we all enjoyed the day out on the cliffs and the pleasures of the beauty of Polperro, one of the prettiest coastal villages in Cornwall, particularly out of season when we visited it.

Make no bones about it, the section of the coastal path from Lansallos Beach to Polperro is quite strenuous in places, with upwards of 150 steep steps to go up and down three times on the walk, you will know that you have been on a coastal walk.